Beirut (AsiaNews) – A car bomb exploded this morning at 7.00 in the heart of the small city Baabda, a few miles from the palace of the President of the Republic.
The Lebanese police confirms that at least 4 people were killed in the explosion, among them an army general. Dozens have been injured.
General François al-Hajj, killed in the attack, was head of operations against Islamic militants in the Nahr-el-Bared refugee camp. The attack took place in the wake of the eighth postponement of the parliamentary session due to elect the new president. The deadlock is due to an unresolved conflict between pro-Syrian groups and the pro-western government led by Fouad Siniora.
The Maronite archbishop of Beirut, Msgr. Paul Matar, speaking by phone with AsiaNews ha condemned “this criminal act which has hit Baabda, the heart of judicial and civil authority” and accused “enemies of the state who continue to block all roads to dialogue”. The prelate also renewed his appeal to all involved to “facilitate the electoral process for the new president; only in this wave can the wave of physical and psychological violence which is threatening to destroy Lebanon be countered”.